If you read this blog enough, you get to understand my infatuation with Riesling and also how much I love a dinner of Salmon, whether baked, grilled or broiled. Tonight on my way home of finalizing all of my Retirement paperwork with the Social Security Administration, we stopped at our favorite fish market and picked out a nice filet of Salmon for dinner. Pairing salmon with wine maybe the simplest choice I ever have to make. It will always be an off dry Riesling and tonight I chose a wine I picked up last weekend at the CNY Regional Market in Syracuse, a Thousand Islands Winery semi-dry Riesling 2011($15). Definitely not my favorite Finger Lakes Riesling and somewhat doubtful that a wine from our New York northern border can match up. But, was I in for a bit of a surprise.Lovely aromas of lime, peach and some honeysuckle started this wine off on a very positive note. Nice acidity and very silky smooth in the mouth with citrus, some tropical and a bit of Mandarin orange. I found no mineral like aromas or taste which I was expecting from a New York wine. The aromas and flavors were more Alsatian like than what I find in our Finger Lakes Rieslings. A medium finish was again very smooth and lemony with a hint of sweetness. A very warm evening, a very nicely baked salmon and a very nice Riesling ended what was a very rewarding day. All the paperwork is done and now I just wait for September 1, 2012, my first day of retirement. Oh yeah, can't forget the wine, Highly Recommended.

We all know that there is a lot of very cheap wines on the market today. Many of them have the bad reputation and are just cheap, bad wine and many of them are unfairly criticized only because old wives tales, lack of knowledge or just the way a wines are packaged. I know, I lived through the 60's and 70's when Chianti in a basket bottle was the biggest fad to ever hit the wine drinking world. Our first apartment was decorated with many of these empty bottles, topped with a candle that was lit until the wax dripped onto the bottle. Instant Tuscan Decor! At that time Chianti was becoming very popular and as more and more producers exported their wine in traditional bottles, the basket began to disappear. Today, only a few producers still use the fiasco bottle.I've heard and read a few stories on how the basket came into being. The best and most logical reason follows.

When wine was first produced in the Italian region of Tuscany, and probably in many other regions, it was put into bottles that were made by glass blowing. These bottles were round on the bottom and the glass was a bit fragile. This was fine for the wines that stayed in the region, but as the world began to shrink and demand for the wines in far away countries became higher, the wine producers began shipping their wines by land carriers and ships.Rough roads and heavy seas accounted for a lot of breakage. Thus, the invention of the fiasco.

photo by Shirley

The basket(fiasco) provides protection during transportation and handling, and also a flat base for the container. Thus the glass bottle can have a round bottom, which is much simpler to make by glass blowing. Fiaschi can be efficiently packed for transport, with the necks of upturned bottles safely tucked into the spaces between the baskets of upright ones.The one I opened tonight is one of my favorite Italian red table wines. The Banfi Bell'agio Chianti 2010 ($10) and it has been at least 10 years since my last one, so this was more a trip down memory lane for Shirley and I and we found that nothing much has changed.

A little cherry with some tart blueberry and a very little burnt wood like aromas as I expected. Nice and smooth in mouth with flavors of black cherry some spicy berry, like teaberry, ending with a short to medium finish that was smooth and berry like. In short a very plain wine, but an awful good table wine. For dinner, with the wine, we had pasta with Shirley's homemade sauce, a salad of tomatoes, mozzarella, romaine lettuce, artichoke hearts and pepperoncini and freshly baked garlic bread. "belpasto,ottimo vino" This wine will pair very nicely with Italian dishes like lasagna, chicken or seafood riggies, red meats and hard cheese (mild or sharp) and was not bad at all just sipping.For an inexpensive red table wine, in my opinion the Bell'Agio Chianti cannot be beat. And when the wine is done, just add a candle and start re-decorating. Highly recommended.

It took many years for me to even try white wines and now I do find myself drinking more whites than reds. I have also become a very big fan of Rieslings, especially those from the New York Finger Lakes region. So, this year I have tried a few from outside that region and more specifically, outside the USA. I reviewed one from Alsace, but held back on a few German Riesling which were very good, but a little pricey. That and a fact I felt they were no better than my favorite Finger Lake wines and had a $25 average price compared to a $14-$18 price for the New York wines. That may change, because I am always looking for that cheap price and after I retire this month, I may be looking for very cheap pricing and I think I just found one.I found a new local wine shop recently and while chit-chatting with a young lady at the counter about Rieslings she very highly recommended a German Riesling that has become her favorite and it was very inexpensive, a Clean Slate Riesling 2011 ($10). I have also found on-line for under $8. For that price on a German Riesling, I will try and I am glad I did.Color was a bright straw yellow. Lots of peach aromas with a lemon/lime citrus and hints of watermelon on the nose. Nice acidity with flavors of peach and some tropical fruits. A medium finish with light mineral or slate, but still had lots of peach and a little sweetness. I drank this while watching the Olympics and munching on some light cheddar cheese. This is a perfect wine for spicy oriental, fish, scallops and summer salads and very enjoyable just sipping. Very highly recommended.

When I shop for specific wines, either by producer or varietal, I like to at least bring home a half case or six bottles. That was the case a few weeks ago when looking for 2011 Rieslings from the New York Finger Lakes. The day did not start out on a positive note. The first two shops I visited had zero 2011's in stock, but I found four different producers at Harbor View Wines and Liquors in Syracuse. I have already posted my reviews on three of them while saving the one I expected to be the best for last. A Hermann J. Wiemer dry Riesling 2011($17)

*Hermann J. Wiemer is regarded as one of the pioneers of viticulture and winemaking in the Finger Lakes. Hermann’s first Riesling and Chardonnay vintages won Gold in New York competitions. Over the last thirty years, Hermann’s consistency and quality have earned the winery a reputation for being one the nation’s best white wine producers. In the 90s Saveur Magazine declared that “Hermann J. Wiemer produces the finest American grown Riesling”.In 2007, Hermann officially retired, handing over the winery to Fred Merwarth, who partnered with his university friend, Swedish agronomist Oskar Bynke, to carry on Hermann’s legacy.In the last 4 years, the young team has continued with Hermann’s goal of bringing the winery to the world stage. The result is that the highest quality hand-crafted wines are now made for lovers of Rieslings across the US, and in other select markets worldwide. The winery has been recognized for the last 3 years as one of the world’s Top 100 Estates by Wine & Spirits Magazine; Wine Spectator listed the winery on the top 100 Wines in the world in 2010; and critics and connoisseurs such as Robert Parker, Eric Asimov, Stuart Piggott, consistently mention Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard as the top Riesling producer in the US. *(http://wiemer.com/winery/history/)

Surprisingly, I tasted my first Wiemer Riesling just about a year ago and again a few months ago I enjoyed a few glasses of the 2010 Dry Riesling, so I was very elated to find this one available so soon. Aromas of orange zest, some citrus and a little grapefruit were very aromatic, but I failed to get any of the mineral aromas I have become accustomed to in Finger Lakes wines. There was a hint of that mineral in the mouth with lots of grapefruit and some sugar plum and key lime pie. A very soft mouth feel and an extraordinary long smooth finish. Not your typical Finger Lakes Riesling, but a World Class Riesling.There have only been four 2011 Finger Lakes Rieslings so far, with many more to come, but the Hermann J. Wiemer 2011 Dry Riesling is a standard that will be hard to beat. Very Highly Recommended

A fabulous summer evening on the patio grilling a nice thick salmon steak and a few boneless chicken breast. These were served with Alaskan crab legs, sauteed zucchini and white rice with parsley. Best of all, I get to open another bottle of Finger Lakes Riesling. This 2011 was from Glenora Wine Cellars. The oldest winery on Seneca Lake, widely known for its warm hospitality and magnificent lakeside setting has garnered exemplary reviews both in and outside Finger Lakes Wine Country.Glenora Wine Cellars, a pioneer in the renaissance of the Finger Lakes wine industry, has been producing award winning high quality wines for over 34 years. In 1977 Glenora Wine Cellars was the first winery to open on Seneca Lake, in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes Wine Country. Today the property offers a 30-room inn (Inn at Glenora) and a gourmet restaurant (Veraisons) joining the winery on the beautifully groomed 40-acre estate.

photo by Shirley

The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars, & Veraisons Restaurant offers a unique opportunity to enjoy all the amenities of the Finger Lakes in one beautiful location!You can also just stroll over to their spacious tasting room and sample their beautiful Rieslings like the Glenora Wine Cellars Riesling 2011($13)A very appealing light straw color with aromas of nectarines, pear and apple blossom on the nose. The mouth was filled with peach and pineapple, a touch of citrus with some very sweet apple. The finish was medium/long a filled with honey coated apricots. This medium sweet Riesling was a perfect compliment to the grilled salmon and chicken. Very highly recommended!!

When it comes to California red wines, I would guess that most wine drinkers think of their Cabernet Sauvignon, but I always think of their Petite Sirah and their Zinfandel. Up until the last four years, Zinfandel was not in my vocabulary. That may be because of the few female friends who drank only White Zin. After tasting the White Zin once, Zinfandels became off limits. Wish I knew better back then, but now I am a Zinoholic.What I like in Zin is a very smooth mouth feel and lots of plum and blackberry and this is what I got with the St. Francis Sonoma County "Old Vines" Zinfandel 2008. ($19) Color was a deep dark red with aromas of blackberry, licorice and plum. On the palate I found lots of blackberry with hints of leather, black cherry and black currant with just a tad of pepper. The finish was very smooth, lots of berry and black plum and very long. I opened this wine with grilled steaks, served with grilled peppers and mushrooms. While the steaks were on the grill, I thoroughly enjoyed this wine while munching on the grilled mushrooms. This wine climbs to the top of my favorite Zins. Highly Recommended!

I've recently posted a review of an Argentina Syrah, so I decided to finish up my Argentina wines and open a Malbec I recently received for review, The Alta Vista Terroir Selection Malbec 2007.($25)The d'Aulan family produces wines in several wine-growing regions around the world, from France - the country of origin - to Hungary and Argentina, where they created Alta Vista in 1998, in the search of the greatest qualities of two emblematic varieties: Malbec and the Argentinian white grape,Torrontés. The result is the perfect combination of French savoir faire and Argentinean passion.After a few years of tasting both red and white wines from Argentina, I am very rapidly becoming a fan.Nice red garnet color with aromas of blackberry, a little chocolate, a little plum with flavors of mocha and blackberry filling the mouth. The finish was a little tart and medium long. Paired very nicely with grilled chicken kabobs. Highly recommended. Best price can be found on-line at Winechateau.com.

Now my summer is finally getting started. Tonight I opened my first two 2011 Finger Lakes Rieslings. Early in the evening we opened a 2011 dry Riesling from Ravines Wine Cellars($15) on Keuka Lake. This was tasted with chicken quesadillas loaded with lots of cheese and jalapeno peppers.

Color on the Ravines was a little darker than what I usually see on these wines, but still very bright and very aromatic. Aroma at first was a little heavy on the mineral, but in a very short time in the glass that changed. Lots of lemon and floral (orange blossom) on the nose with some slate. The palate was all lemon, a very refreshing lemon with some honey notes. A medium finish with citrus and honey. A very typical Finger Lakes Riesling. A very nice wine, but at best, just very good, not great. I think that many times I just want more from every Finger Lakes Riesling I taste and many times that does happen.After finishing the first wine, I was looking for something that might meet my expectations, so I uncorked another 2011 dry Riesling fromDr Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars.($13) Hey Bono, I found what I was looking for.

A very bright color of pale yellow with a green hue and very Finger Lakes like aromas of lemon, tangerine, honeysuckle and slate. Nice acid with lots of lemon, some lime with hints of pineapple in the mouth. Enjoyed how this wine felt in the mouth with a little taste of honey. This is why Finger Lakes Rieslings are now getting the world wide respect that they deserve. Finish could have been a little longer, but the orange, lime and honey was so damn delicious it was not an issue. I had to nibble on a few bites of cheese while finishing this Riesling. First a smokey Gouda, which was very nice, then a favorite Champagne Cheddar from Yancey's Fancy Cheese which also paired very nicely.I have a few more '11 Rieslings in the fridge and can't wait to open. How did I miss the start of summer until now? I guess I'll just have to make up for time lost. Poor me!!!

I don't know about anyone else, but when I am wine shopping, I seem to always avoid buying wines with a ridiculously low price. I also seem to get caught tasting an inexpensive wine, pleased with what I tasted, buy a bottle, take it home and open to find something just short of crappy grape juice. But, I keep doing it and keep failing most of the time.In mid-July I ventured out on my first wine buying shopping spree since my by pass surgery five weeks earlier. As soon as I stepped into one of my favorite shops I was greeted by an employee behind a table with about 50 cases of an inexpensive Hayes Ranch California Cabernet Sauvignon stacked behind him. Only $7 and a metal twist off cap for a California Cab. Exactly what I was looking for. Right!!! Like always though I stopped at the table, sniffed, swirled and sipped and, being a nice guy, I bought. When I got home, I put the Cab in the wine fridge and simply forgot about it, until this week when I was looking for something just to sip on for a few hours after work. So, I took out the Hayes Ranch 'In The Saddle' 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, got my corkscrew and "oh no it's a twist off." Crap!!!, untwisted and poured.The aromas were not those of a $7 Cab/Sauv. There were red berries, some cherry, a little oak and some vanilla. A nice balanced mouth full of the berries, cherry and vanilla with just a little spice. The finish was a little short, but for just sipping while catching up on the e-mails it was great. I have had many nice wines under $10, but rarely, if ever, a Cabernet Sauvignon. There are probably a lot of gems out there and I was probably looking in all the wrong places, but that is one of joys of being a wino, finding nice wines at great prices.Having pizza and looking for a good cheap wine, I highly recommend the Hayes Ranch "In The Saddle" Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.

The official 2010 Champagne harvest season begins on September 13th. All grapes will be harvested by hand, according to traditional practices, to select the highest quality grapes.“Due to a frost that we had earlier in 2010, the development of the grapes was slightly delayed this year,” remarked Champagne Bureau Director Sonia Smith. “Harvests are two to four days behind last year, except one village which began on September 10th. Yet the unseasonably warm and sunny weather in July allowed the grapes to mature quickly. All in all, it is looking to be a promising harvest this year, once again creating a marvelous wine that can only be produced in one place – Champagne, France.”

There are many sparkling wines produced around the world, but the Champagne name can only be used on a label if the grapes and the wines produced, under strict controls, in the French region that bears the name Champagne.

The Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) set the harvest limit at 10,500 kilos of grapes per hectare, slightly higher than the 2009 limit of 9,700 kilos per hectare. “Since yields are fixed at 10,500 kilos per hectare, and vines are producing 14,000 kilos on average, we will have scrupulous selections to ensure a high quality vintage,” said Daniel Lorson, spokesman for the CIVC.

The Champagne region has been producing wine since the Roman era, but only in the traditional Champenoise method for three hundred years. In the eighteenth century, Champagne houses began the harvest traditions which live on today. Each year, grape-pickers come to Champagne to pick grapes by hand, as machines are not allowed for harvesting. The Champagne region’s climate, chalky soil, strict regulations and long history of winemaking combine to produce a sparkling wine that can only be produced in one place: Champagne.

As part of its new “Unmask the Truth” advertising campaign, the Champagne Bureau has launched a petition to end mislabeling in the United States. To support Truth-in-Labeling, Visit the page at: http://Petition.Champagne.usThe petition is part of the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place Names & Origin, a coalition of 15 wine regions from around the world committed to educating the public about the importance of place names. Champagne is a founding signatory and is joined by seven U.S. regions - Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Paso Robles, Oregon, Walla Walla Valley, Washington and Long Island – and seven other international regions - Porto, Jerez, Chianti Classico, Tokaj, Victoria, Western Australia and Rioja. This release can be viewed online at: http://bit.ly/bUoK6a

For more information, please contact Shira Levy at 202-777-3516 or slevy@clsdc.com.About the Champagne BureauThe Champagne Bureau is the official U.S. representative of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), a trade association which represents the grape growers and houses of Champagne, France. The Bureau works to educate U.S. consumers about the uniqueness of the wines of Champagne and expand their understanding of the need to protect the Champagne name. For more information, visit us online at www.champagne.us. Follow us on Twitter at ChampagneBureau.

Tonight I had to choose a wine for some fried Turkey burgers and an Arugula salad. I am not fond of Arugula, so I wanted something full bodied and found two Shiraz in the wine fridge. One a Piping Shrike Shiraz 2006 from Australia and a Concannon Shiraz 2007 from California. I decided to open up both and have my own little battle of the Shiraz.My first pour was the Concannon and right off the bat I had the feeling that Australia was going to win. Color was dark garnet and bright. Aromas of leather and leather and leather and not much else filled the glass. In the mouth, some dark cherry and a little vanilla led to a long peppery finish. The turkey was not a very good pairing, but this wine may do well with a hearty beef stew or maybe a pork roast. You can probably find under $10 and that is a good value for Concannon Shiraz.Loved the very dark purple color, for what that matters, on the Piping Shrike Shiraz. The aromas were even better. Lots of blackberry, blueberry and little pine tree or more like yews greeted the nose. In the mouth there was some dark cherry with some spice and pepper on the sides. The finish was smooth and long. I enjoyed this much more with the turkey burgers, but still not a good choice for dinner. Would have liked a lot more with a Black Angus beef burger. Price was a little higher at $14, but still a much better value.I'd like to root for the USA, but in this battle, a hands down win for the Aussies.I'd like to do this again, but need your suggestions. Got two wines you think should meet on the battlefield, let me know and I'll be glad to wage the fight.

I've been getting a few comments on the blog and from friends at work about Shirley's recipes, so when I can I will add the recipe to the blog post along with a review of the wine used in the recipe. Also planning to add a recipe page and post recipes from my readers. Only rule will be that the recipe be original and it must use wine. (no cooking wine)One of the things Shirley is good at is using leftovers and anything she finds in the fridge or pantry to put together a fantastic meal. Well, most times anyway. There are failures, but you won't see them here.This one was done in 30 min. on Saturday morning because I was mandatoried to work and had nothing ready to take for my 7 p.m. lunch. The wine used was a Renzo Masi Chianti Riserva 2007. ($14)I just recently purchased this Chianti, because I have had it before and knew it was a great value at the $14 price. For the recipe it was terrific, but I did find it a little light on aromas and on the palate. Not what I remembered from the 2004 I tasted. Not that it was that bad, it was just disappointing. There were aromas of blackberry and some dark cherry with a little toasted oak and smoke. It was more dark cherry and tobacco in the mouth and the finish was very dry and lingering. It did pair fairly well with the sauce, but I kept thinking how well a nice Chardonnay would be and how the flavor of the sauce might be if Chardonnay was used. But that is Shirley's realm and I try not to interfere, but the suggestion was made and she may try the Chard next time. Then again, why mess too much with something that comes out this good. Now for Shirley's first posted recipe, but first her cooking rules.

Shirley's Kitchen Rules:No table salt is used in my recipes. (Not even in water for noodles and pasta)Most of these recipes can be made with chicken or beef. (I don’t eat beef)Most of my recipes I concoct with what I find in my refrigerator.The majority of my recipes are Mediterranean in nature, although I will try any cuisine.I very seldom use measures because taste is subjective and you can add or subtract any amount of ingredients in my recipes according to your taste.If you absolutely need to know amounts, email Joe and I will try to give you measurements.Joe and I disagree, but I use wine in my recipes that I will drink with my dinner. I don’t care if it’s an expensive bottle. If a cheap wine does not taste quite good enough, why would I add it to my dish and ruin my cooking? The flavor of the wine will come through the cooking.

After Heatwave Chicken Mushroom DishAfter the last heatwave of the summer, a good dish of comfort food is just what the body needs to rejuvenate the appetite.

Ingredients:Extra virgin olive oilRed onion, finely choppedGarlic, finely choppedButton mushrooms, slicedBaby Bella mushrooms, slicedChicken breast, halved(see recipe directions)Coating mixture, equal parts of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and flourNoodles (I use 'no egg yolk' noodles)Chicken stock or 'no salt' bouillonWineCanned tomatoes, gently rinsedFresh basilDirections:Saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil.Cut three boneless,skinless chicken breasts lengthwise. (Hold the breast on edge and cut like a bagel so you end up with flat pieces. It takes a little time to do, but the portions are right for a single serving and the chicken cooks quicker.)Dredge the sliced chicken in the coating mixture.Add to pan and brown over medium heat.Start water boiling and cook the noodles.When both sides of chicken are a nice crusty brown, add enough wine and chicken bouillon or chicken stock to make a gravy.Add tomatoes and a handful of whole leaf basil.Bruise the leaves in the pan. This will also squash the tomatoes.Gently boil until tomatoes are melted and juice is thick enough to be a gravy.Remove the wilted basil and add noodles.Just before serving, add some fresh cut minced basil.Buon Appetito

In certain times, certain wines become a fad. I remember when I started enjoying wines that Cabernet Sauvignon was "thee wine to have." Later it was Chianti, then Merlot and Syrah and now entering the picture is Malbec. In a very short period of time, Argentina has taken this French grape and has begun to produce some of the most incredible tasting wines to ever be produced in South America. Most are priced under $15 and many delicious Malbecs are under $10.Today, I am finishing a Don Miguel Gascon Malbec 2009 that I recently found for $11 at a local wine shop.Today, the wines of Don Miguel Gascón are crafted in the City of Mendoza at the same winery that was built by the Spanish visionary whose name bears it. Begun in 1884, the winery is an historic landmark in the history of Argentine winemaking, yet it houses some of the most advanced winemaking technology in the world.During the 1940’s, the Gascón family bottled Argentina’s first 100 percent varietal Malbec. Now, Ernesto Catena, a fourth generation winemaker, has brought the wines of Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón to high status in Argentina, and to prominence with critics and connoisseurs throughout the world.For that price this wine is incredible. I have had this wine before, but I can't remember it being this good.Aromas were lite, but filled with blackberry, dark cherry, plum and some damp soil with a little hint of pepper. Blackberry, some cherry with pepper and mocha led to a dry smooth, not overly long finish. We opened this wine on the patio with BBQ chicken, hot dogs for Pam and Shirley grilled herself an Italian chicken sausage. We all loved the wine. Like a good Chianti this a wine excellent with any food and also excellent for sipping afterwards.

Just enjoyed a fantastic last week of an 11 week summer vacation. Of course three of the weeks were a little bit less than enjoyable, but it did end on a great day of wine shopping at a few shops that I have never been to before.One, a small village shop with one of the best selections of Italian, German, Australian and California wines that I have seen locally. Many were labels I have never seen other than the premier shops in New York City. They did have everything from a Tenuto San Guido Sassicaia at $250 to a few $9 Chiantis from Italy on the shelves and today at Shirley's request I was shopping for Italian wines. One drawback was the distance traveled to find this shop and another was their pricing.The second was a recently purchased wine and spirits warehouse with a very large selection of wines, especially the largest selection of Finger Lakes wine I've seen in any shop. Pricing is the lowest I have seen locally. Now I have to figure out if the 20% case discount I get at my favorite warehouse will beat their everyday low pricing.I did manage to bring home a case of Italian wines. Well not a full case of Italian, there were some Argentina Malbecs thrown in. Opened two so far. An Italian Primivito $17 and an Argentinian Malbec $11. Both were extraordinarily good and reviews will be coming. May have to do away with my once a week pick and do both. May have to do the entire case if all are this good. That will be fun. Now to physche myself up for tomorrow's return to work. Oh well, shit happens.